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Daughter recalls slain man as good, long-distance dad

David Brenner, 47, was pronounced dead last week near Davenport Rd. and Old Weston Rd. after suffering head trauma. Anthony Brake has been charged with his murder.

David Brenner, 47, was Toronto's 51st homicide victim of 2016, having been pronounced dead at the scene near Davenport Rd. and Old Weston Rd. after suffering from head trauma on Sept. 22. (Supplied photo)

By Salmaan FarooquiStaff Reporter

Mon., Sept. 26, 2016

The dramatic final games of the Toronto Blue Jays’ regular season aren’t why the team is on Sam Brenner’s mind. The squad brings back some of her happiest memories of time spent with her father before he was killed last week.

David Brenner, 47, was found dead — Toronto’s 51st homicide of the year — on Sept. 22 after police responded to a call for help. He had suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene near Davenport Rd. and Old Weston Rd.

The Toronto Police Service have arrested Anthony Brake, 46, who has been charged with second-degree murder in the case.

For Brenner’s 21-year-old daughter Sam, who lives in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., the news has been hard for her to digest.

“I wasn’t sure if it was real or not,” said Sam in a Facebook message to the Star. “I had talked to him just a few weeks before this. I never thought something like this would happen.”

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“My grandpa got a voicemail from TPS but they didn’t give details in the message. He tried to call my dad but there was no answer so I went on Facebook to try and contact him.”

But there wouldn’t be an answer back, and a short time later, Sam had confirmed the news: her father had been killed.

“He was a good dad even though I didn’t see him that often. We kept in touch over the phone and through Facebook,” said Sam. “One of my favorite memories was when I was little and we went to Centre Island and rode in the little swan boats.”

Talking about sports and going to a Jays game when she visited from California were also vivid memories of time with her father, she said.

Sam only got to see her father occasionally. David, a Toronto native, moved to California with his family and subsequently moved back on his own to Toronto while Sam stayed with her aunts in California.

Sam said she wasn’t sure what her father was doing for a living, as he switched jobs often during his time in Toronto.

Brake, the man charged with David’s murder was found by authorities in Halifax on Sunday morning. Police say that Brake and David had been acquaintances for an extended period of time.

The accused’s first court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. at Old City Hall

With files From Jackie Hong, Fakiha Baig, and Alina Bykova

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